It is so a bad state of affairs.

Society is elevating people with money regardless how they got it. Many a clergy or imam, all of us look up to for ethical direction, give front seats in places of worship to folks who tithe in millions. There is no bother to establish the source of the offertory or preach against offering proceeds of fraud. To the fraudster, things are evened out when they share with the Church or Mosque proceeds of their crimes and they also get a ‘closer to the Creator’ status.

A medical doctor who subjects his or her patients to unnecessary medical procedures or drugs should be banished from practicing and or expelled from the community. A lawyer who bends the truth and ‘defiles’ justice should be punished the Hon. Maria Matembe way — an eye for an eye. An accountant or any person for that matter who steals and denies service delivery to the public should be given an equal punishment. Their lives should be made difficult to fit in the society. At minimum, s/he should not be allowed to enjoy the proceeds of the loot. Society should learn to look down anyone with wealth that they cannot explain. If your salary and all your legit sources of income combined can only afford you a bicycle, but you drive around in an expensive car, no one should have time for you until you come clean. If you own a mansion build out of the money meant for putting drugs in hospitals you should be isolated. If you hide your wealth in the names of your friends or trusted ‘entities as laundering vehicles’ you should be identified and taught a lesson: stealing is bad.

Such natural justice will promote ethics and integrity and bring services closer to those who deserve it most. Don’t just respect anyone with money. Give respect to only those that have disclosed all their sources.

That is the state of your integrity.